Coming Home
by ArabellaCullen
Summary: After the loss of her mother in a violent attack, Simone Miakoda goes to the Quileute reservation to live with her half-brother Sam Uley and his fiancee Emily Young. Will she find peace with Sam or just more pain? Rated M for later chapters PaulxOC
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone, yeah another story by me.**

**Disclaimer: SM owns all of the characters except mine, so nah! XP**

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><p>Rain, soft and gentle, fell from the sky onto my unprotected head. All around me was a mass of black umbrellas huddled together around my mother's grave. I felt as hollow as the grave I stood in front of, gazing with unblinking eyes at the oak coffin in front of me. A beautiful boutique of lilies and pale white roses lay on the closed lid. The people from the cemetery had told me I could take the flowers home with me but I knew they were Mom's favorite and left them on her coffin. I tilted back my head and gazed up at the sky, blinking the rain from my eyes.<p>

The rain was such a rare thing were we lived in California, Mom and I had loved it when it rained. We used to go out and dance around like complete idiots every time it rained. For the longest time it had just been me and Mom, never knew Dad since he left shortly after only staying with Mom for a couple of weeks. I only knew his name because Mom told me only a couple of months ago when I wouldn't stop bugging her. Joshua Uley, some Native American from Washington.

The dull thud of dirt hitting the lid of the coffin made me jump. My head whipped down to looked down into the grave. Mom's coffin lay in it and they were shoveling dirt clods, the dull thuds echoing eerily in my head. This was it, Mom was actually gone. Once that grave was covered she would be gone from me forever. I had cried and screamed when I first found Mom. Blood had been everywhere in her beautiful kitchen, staining everything that had ever meant something to her. But after that I felt sort of numb, empty even. My whole world had shattered in that moment when I opened the front door and saw the first drops of blood on her pristine rug.

Even now I felt hallow, empty. It was like I was watching all of this going on from far away. Like this was some crazy soap opera or something. I stood there long after the other observers left. Watching the dirt pile up around my mother's coffin. I was aware of someone standing beside me, yet another black umbrella, as the diggers patted down the last of the dirt on her grave. My eyes were drawn to the headstone. _In loving memory of Debra Rainy, mother and cherished friend._ By then I was totally soaked through by the cool rain.

"Where will you live?" The sound of Officer Branson's voice made me jump. He had been Mom's boyfriend at the time and I knew he had wanted to propose to her. Being only Mom's boyfriend meant I couldn't legally live with him. I was nineteen, I could live on my own if I wanted to but I didn't have much money and no family that I knew of.

I turned my head to look at Davis Branson. He was a nice enough guy and would offer for me to stay with him until I could get on my own two feet but I didn't want to live alone. I had lived with Mom my whole life, once in a while a man was in the picture, but it had always just been Mom and me. "I don't know." I admitted. He nodded, his movements gruff and jerky. His eyes were red and I had seen him crying when he first came onto the scene of my mother's murder. That jarred me a little. I wasn't the only one grieving. Mom had meant so much to other people. Our neighbors, the people she worked with, her students. Everyone would miss her, but not as much as me.

"I took the liberty of trying to find your father. I found his name and the last known address he lived at. No one's seen him in years but I managed to get a hold of his son. A man by the name of Sam Uley. He and his fiance live on a reservation in Washington. I called him and he has agreed to let you come and live with him." He said. An emotion like guilt built inside of me. I had a half-brother, he had a life and he had a fiance. But I was too selfish to live alone now, I didn't want to be alone with the nightmares.

I nodded, thinking of the things I would have to leave behind when I left. I had never been outside of California, let alone outside of our tiny town. I couldn't take everything with me but I certainly couldn't leave behind certain items.

Davis wrapped an arm around my shoulders as he led me toward his cruiser. "I'll buy you the ticket, bus or plane?" He asked. I grimaced at the thought of flying, being deathly afraid of heights. The bus would at least take one to two days. I sighed and gazed out the window at the rain.

"I guess I'll take the plane. Does he know I'm coming?" I asked. Davis nodded, pursing his lips in a frown. "I don't know how I feel about you traveling across a whole state by yourself." He muttered. I smiled faintly, gazing out the window.

"Davis, I'll be fine. I'm nineteen years old, not nine." I said, giving him a wane smile over my shoulder. Davis huffed and kept driving. I kind of didn't want to go back to the house and I knew neither did Davis, but I had to get my stuff. The house wasn't very far from the cemetery so it was a short drive. I wished it had been longer.

Getting out of the car, I stared at the house. I half expected Mom to step out, wearing her apron with her hair up in a messy bun, and come over to greet me and Davis. Like nothing had happened. Like she hadn't been torn to shreds by some sicko in her own kitchen. Tears pricked my vision as I stared at the house. Davis came to stand beside me, his eyes on the front door as if he were thinking the same thing. Taking a deep breath, I walked up to the cheery red door, and opened it.

Everything was clean and as it had been before the violation of my home. The clean up crew had come in and removed any evidence of my mother's death and the chaos her killer had left behind. Keeping my eyes trained straight ahead toward the stairs I took my first step into the house after a whole week. The same floorboard creaked as I laid my foot on the rug in front of the door.

I kept my eyes away from the doorway to the kitchen even though I knew I wouldn't see her body lying on the floor in a pool of her own blood and...I cut that thought off even before the images popped into my head. The nightmares were bad enough, I didn't need to see the horror even when I was awake. Shaking my head, I hurried for the stairs but paused when I caught sight of sunlight gleaming off of polished wood. I turned and slowly walked into the living room, my eyes glued to that shine of sunlight hitting polished wood.

I stopped in front of Mom's piano, tears blurring my vision as I reached out to touch the cover. It was a beautiful old upright of mahogany, a gift from grandmother when I was little. There was no way I could part with this, it held too many happy memories.

A warm hand on my shoulder made me jump and spin around to find Davis standing behind me. I hadn't even heard him come in. His eyes weren't on me but on the piano, his eyes blurred like mine with unshed tears. "You can't leave this here, it'll just go on auction and I know Debra wouldn't have wanted that." He whispered, his voice gruff with his suppressed emotions. I turned back to the piano and ran my fingers over the polished surface as I nodded. No way in hell was I leaving it here.

"I'm sure Sam won't mind too much. I could always keep it in a garage if he has one." Turning away from the piano I kept my eyes on the carpet as I mounted the steps and hurried up to my room. I didn't even really look as I grabbed things from my closet and dresser, stuffing everything in suitcases, both mine and my mother's. I would have to pay a little extra for the shipping but I didn't care. I no doubt had plenty money saved up.

Davis helped me drag everything downstairs, mumbling about putting most of my mother's stuff in a storage for me if I ever wanted it. I moved in a daze now that I was out of the house, not really paying attention to anything anyone said or where I was being taken. I barely noticed when Davis hugged me and told me to call him when I landed. Landed? Oh yeah, the plane. Normally I'm terrified of heights, it freaked me out being over three stories high but my grief was catching up with me now that I didn't have any planning to do. I kept my cool on the plane till I got up to go to the bathroom. In the tiny stall I let the tears flow a little at a time or else I feared it would never stop.

- 00 - 00 -

In Seattle airport I got my carry-on bag, the rest of my things were being shipped by a moving service, and hailed a taxi. In the backseat I handed the driver the address and tossed him a hundred dollar bill to get him going when he started protesting. The ride was long and boring, I mostly sat curled up on the back bench with my earbuds playing loud rock music. Normally I would have listened to classical to think of dances to preform for mother but...I would never be doing that ever again. So, rock music drowned out my thoughts and let me forget a little about what had happened. It was so loud it even kept away the nightmares...

A hand touching my shoulder made me jerk, whipping my head up to see the driver standing in the open back car door. It was raining heavily outside of the car. I must have dozed off at some point in the drive. I blinked at the driver and realized he was talking.

"This is the place, I even asked around and Sam Uley lives here." He stood up, an umbrella sheltering him from the rain, as he glanced around. "No one seems to be home, are you sure you want to stay here? Is there someone you can contact?"

A small smile spread across my face, it felt foreign and strange to smile after so long. Well, not long only a week but it felt like forever. I carefully climbed out of the backseat and winced when the blood rushed back into my legs. I definitely been sitting too long. As I climbed out, I glanced back at the digital clock on the driver's radio. It was only a little after seven, my flight had been early by a couple hours. Maybe Sam wasn't home? Or, had he even gotten Davis's letter?

"Yeah, I have my cell phone so I'll be okay." I told the driver, only half of a lie.

He looked a little relieved but also a little unconvinced. "Whatever, you do what you want." He walked around to the trunk and retrieved my carry-on bag. I forwent pulling up the long handle and just carried it up the little porch. At least my stuff wouldn't get wet. I stood on the porch and watched the taxi drive away, leaving me stranded in a place completely foreign to me. Sitting on the porch, I removed my tennis shoes and socks. Lowering my feet to the muddy ground I felt the cold, icy rain fall on my feet and bare lower legs. The wood of the porch was cold under my exposed thighs thanks to my shorts. I should have changed into pants on the flight but I had been too tired and didn't feel like it. Lately I hadn't felt like doing anything.

But the feeling of rain on my skin and mud under my felt made me want to dance. Something I hadn't felt like doing in a whole week. Mom had always loved winter time in California because we got more rain storms. She would drag me out in the rain to dance in the park just down the street. We didn't care if we got sick, it was just a rare fun thing to do.

A tear, hot and thick and salty fell from my eye to streak a path down my cheek to quiver on the underside of my chin. Never again would she feel the patter of rain on her skin or mud under her toes as she pirouetted in a cold shower of droplets. Standing up in a rush, I threw back my head and let the rain course over me. The feeling was akin to a cold cleansing. It mingled with the single tear on my face and washed it away, replacing the heat with a bone chilling cold.

The urge to dance called stronger, I even began to raise my arms to chest level for the beginning position of a pirouette, but the sound of raindrops hitting an umbrella made me drop my arms and stare in the direction of the sound. A woman, of Native American descent, was walking up the little road that led to the house. She had her head down and was fiddling with a ring of keys as she walked. When she finally looked up she gasped and nearly dropped her keys. My eyes instantly were caught by the scars on the right side of her face but they didn't bother me. After what I had seen that dark day, nothing would frighten me or sicken me every again.

"Can I help you?" She asked, shouting over the rain. She hurried over, her dark eyes going from my bare feet to my soaked hair.

"I'm looking for Sam Uley, um did he get a letter in the last couple of days?" The words tumbled out as I blushed. Now that I was actually here, in another state, this seemed like a really stupid idea. I should have just stayed with Davis. Realization dawned in her dark eyes as well as some emotion I couldn't read.

"You must be Simone, I'm so sorry for your loss." She reached out hand to touch my shoulder, the warmth of her skin surprised me. She felt like she had been somewhere warm and dry recently, someone else's house maybe? "Come on, let's get out of the rain." She led me up to the door and deftly unlocked it. This must be Sam's fiance. Again, that feeling of guilt welled up for pressing myself on Sam and his life but I tamped it down with my selfishness. I was too much of a coward to live alone.

The woman walked into the house and flipped on a light. The house was larger then I had first thought, it was comfy and cozy with all of the furniture being made from wood and the colors were dark and rich. Leaving me by the door, Sam's fiance dashed into a room down a hall and quickly returned with a warm smile on her lips.

"Sam got Officer Branson's letter but we didn't think you'd come so quickly. I had just finished up preparing the extra room for you. Sam is away on tribal business." She explained, her voice soft and nurturing, very much like my mother's when she was trying to make someone comfortable. It made tears gather but I willed them away and gave the woman a wane smile.

"I'm Emily and if ever you need anything just ask me. The bathroom is down the hall, the first door on the left, and the room you'll be staying in is the first door on the right. Mine and Sam's room is at the end of the hall." She led me along as she spoke, pointing at the rooms. I drug my bag behind me, nodding absently as I followed her. A shower sounded really great right now.

"Um, can I take a shower?" I asked, now I was nervous about living with total strangers. But I couldn't back out now, could I?

"Of course," Emily walked over to a tall cupboard in the hall. "Here are the towels and washcloths, just leave your wet clothes in the sink and I'll wash them for you." She gave me a soft smile, which was an interesting sight thanks to her scars, but I was already getting used to the sight. She left me there and headed down the way we had come to what could only be the kitchen.

I entered my room and looked around. It was a simple thing, with wood furniture and a little closet. The bed was made with a simple white sheet and a beautiful Indian blanket draped over the bed. I left my bag at the foot of the bed and grabbed two towels from the cupboard. In the bathroom, I paused to take in the rug on the floor and simple white shower curtain with blue flower trimming. A far cry from Mom's wildly colored bathroom.

Stripping, I left my clothes in the sink and stepped into the shower, turning on the hot water. Mindful of how long I was in there, I didn't want to use up Sam's hot water, I took a quick shower just to wash off the mud and the cold rain water. The feeling of the hot water was like another form of cleansing, this one putting heat into my body when it had been cold for a long time. I was shocked by how long it had been since I actually felt warm and comfortable.

I wrapped my body in the thick towel and put up my hair turban style. Opening the door, I peeked around the corner to see Emily's shadow moving about in the kitchen. I quickly darted across the hall to my bedroom and changed into my pajamas, a simple cotton t-shirt and fleece sleeping pants. With my hair still up in it's towel turban, I padded out to the kitchen and stood watching Emily. She was baking what looked like muffins and some cookies but enough to feed a small army!

"What are those for?" I asked.

She looked up and gave me a warm smile, making my heart ache. "I cook for some local boys that don't have time to eat on normal times." She glanced up at a clock mounted on the wall and frowned, "are you hungry? You can have some, I doubt you had time to eat during everything." I was a little hungry but now that I had taken a shower, I was more tired then I was hungry. So, I just shook my head.

"I think I'll just go to bed, if that okay with you. I'm really tired."

"Of course, I'll save you some breakfast so don't worry about getting up early or anything. Night Simone." Those two simple words made the tears gather but I held it together as I gave her a small nod and calmly walked to the room that was now mine. The tears only started flowing after I had shut the door. I was tempted to lean against the door and fall into a sobbing heap at the door but I managed to crawl under the beautiful blanket, after removing my mother's stuffed bear from my bag, and let myself cry myself to sleep. My last thought before I drifted off was...what was my life going to be like now?

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><p><strong>Sad, I know, but it gets better. I dedicate this story to my best friend who has just lost her mother, through natural causes, but it's no less painful. The woman herself was like a second mother to me so I too am grieving the loss of her passing by writing this story.<strong>

**I listened to Darcy's Letter from the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack. http/www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=aL6oZDB2nTo**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alrighty~ Here is chapter two, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: SM owns all of the characters but mine, lucky lady.**

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><p>The sound of singing birds and rowdy laughter woke me, one was familiar and comforting but the other was a strange sound to me. I stared at the white ceiling above me, trying to remember where I was but when I turned my head and saw airy white curtains over a window, not my mom's rocking red lace curtains, I remembered. I was in my half-brother's house and not my familiar home in sunny California. Swinging my legs out of bed, the shock of the cold floors woke me even further, making me wince. For once I hadn't had a nightmare and I wanted to slip back to sleep, even for a few blessedly peaceful moments but there was too much noise.<p>

I took my fluffy bear slippers out of my bag and quietly opened the door. The noise was coming from the kitchen, maybe it was those boys Emily had told me about last night? I looked around for a clock but couldn't find any, so I crept down the hall, following the sound of laughter. My foot stepped on a creaky floorboard and utter silence filled the house. That made me frown. Was I not supposed to hear anything?

Emily stepped into my view of the living room, that same warm smile on her face. "Good morning, did you sleep okay?" I nodded as I drew near, cautious now and a little confused. As I drew nearer to the kitchen I could see a wall of russet colored flesh that all Native Americans' seem to have. I blinked several times, trying to make out distinct shapes that I knew must be separate bodies but all I saw was a wall of flesh squeezed in around Emily's tiny table.

When I was standing beside Emily I could finally make out four boys, sitting there staring right back at me while they practically shoveled food into their mouths. They all had dark, close cropped hair and dark eyes. It was a little unnerving having them all stare at me.

"Be nice guys," was all Emily said as she marched over and plucked a muffin off of a huge plate in the center of the table. She grabbed a paper napkin and handed me both. "You should eat, it helps." She murmured. With a small nod, I began to nibble on the muffin. It did, actually, help a little. It made me remember Mom's runs down to the bakery in town or fresh bread and she would always snag me a blueberry muffin. The memory didn't make me tear up so bad, instead it made me smile a little.

Emily wrapped an arm around my shoulders and steered me into the kitchen. I huddled in the corner with my hip against the counter as I nibbled on my muffin. She kept an arm protectively around my shoulder as she faced the four boys gathered around the table. "Guys, this is Simone, Sam's sister." I felt a little jolt at being called anyone's sister. For the longest time it had been just me and Mom, it was still a shock the realize I had a brother, even if he was from another woman. "Simone, that's Embry, Quil, Jared, and Seth. Just a quick warning, this is only the tip of the iceberg of the boys that come in and out of here so don't be nervous or anything none of them will bother you if you want to be left alone. Right boys?" Her tone was very stern mother and it made me smile a little to see the big, muscly boys all nod like chided children.

Now that I was looking at them, I could make distinct things out that made them each their own person. The one called Seth was obviously the youngest among them, he had a little of that boyishness in his face as he gave me a sad look.

"I'm sorry to hear about your mom." He said, his voice deeper then I thought it would be. I just said a quiet thank you and kept nibbling on my muffin. I felt awkward standing there in the kitchen with Emily, even though I could tell she was trying to make me feel more comfortable but I just had never done real great around groups of people more then three, let alone a group of big muscled boys.

I pushed away from the counter and stepped out of Emily's warm hold, "um, if Sam's not back I think I'll go back to my room." I said softly, Emily's smile faded around the edges but she nodded.

"He should be home in an hour, do you want me to let you know when he does?" I gave her a small nod and left my half-eaten muffin on the counter then beat a hasty retreat back to my room, leaning against the closed door as a dizzy spell washed over me. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to eat that muffin after all? Looking around my room I wondered what I had to occupy me for an hour. My eyes were drawn to my rolling suitcase.

I wandered over and laid the bag out on the floor. I carefully removed the items and laid them out on the floor. I had clothes for a couple of days, my iPod, my laptop, a sketch pad along with smaller pads, coals, pastels, paints, and an assortment of other things from home. As my hands ghosted over the big sketch pad, like last night in the rain, I had the urge to draw. No, not just draw. I had the urge to leave the house and let my feet carry me away until I could find a secret place to pour my thoughts and emotions onto paper.

I changed into a pair of jeans, fur topped knee-high brown boots, and a simple red scoop necked sweater. I left my hair down to keep my neck warm and tucked my pastels, sketch pad, and pencils under my arm as I left my room. Before I left I stuffed my cell phone into my back pocket, I would have to give Emily the number before I left.

The boys were still around the table but it looked like another few had joined in the feeding frenzy. Emily quickly stepped out of the kitchen, concern on her face. "I'm going for a walk, is that okay?" I asked, fearing she would say no.

"Of course, just be careful." I nodded and ripped out a small corner from my sketch pad and scribbled down my phone number. I left the number with her and practically ran out of the house. It was a nice home, I would have loved it there at any other time, but it wasn't my home.

- 00 - 00 -

Once I left the house I faced the forest surrounding Sam's house, and just started walking. I had loved spending time at the park down the street from my own house, to me the forest was just like a giant park. Birds sang and creatures scurried to and fro across the forest floor. I kept walking, letting my feet carry me where they wanted to, loosing myself in the beauty of the forest. Mom would have loved it here. She grew up with a love of nature and all it's beauty, she passed that on to me through trips to nature preserves and national parks.

She claims she got her love of nature from her grandmother who was of a mountain dwelling Indian tribe, the Ohanko. Like Emily and all of the boys I had met, my great-grandmother had sported the russet skin, black hair, and dark eyes. The only thing I got from my grandmother had been her love of nature and her tribe's stories. One of the legends was about the tribe's guardian spirit, a mighty Jaguar. A rare wild feline that no longer lives in North America. Maybe I would draw a jaguar?

A chilly wind was blowing down from the mountains to the north, making the hair on my neck stand up. I paused in my trek through the forest to glance around, why did I get the feeling that I was being watched? I mentally put it off as the little creatures no doubt watching me walk through their home. I kind of knew how they felt. During the period when I found my mother and when she was carted away to the local morgue, strangers walked in and out of my home, and it seemed like they hadn't really cared at all that they'd been invading the one place that I held sacred.

Shaking my head, I kept walking. The forest was beginning to thin in certain places, forming clearings. I turned toward one and kept walking. The soothing sound of a small stream made me smile. The clearing I had chosen for the day was a simple place with lush grass, a small stream surrounded by wild flowers on either side, and a large, flat stump. Making my way over to the stump I made sure there weren't any bugs or moss and I sat down cross-legged, or Indian style as my great-grandma would say.

I laid my sketch pad and art supplies on my lap and grazed around the clearing for anything that would catch my eye, spark the need to create something inside of me. Closing my eyes, I listened. The wind in the trees, the scurry of tiny animal feet, the gurgle of the stream. All of the sounds sang to me like a song, making me sway to the song of nature. The wind flowing swirled around me, raising my hair in a playful cyclone, making me smile.

With my eyes closed an image began forming and my hands moved of their own volition. Not wanting to loose the urge to create, I kept my eyes closed and took out my pencils and opened to a fresh page, all by feeling my way with my eyes closed. The sounds of nature filled me, blocking out all thought and the ache in my heart lessened the smallest bit. My hand was a flurry of movement, the scrape of lead against the paper warring with the sounds of nature to drown out all my thoughts but that need to draw.

A sudden whisper of sound, not of the cacophony of nature, but something that hushed the sounds and slowed the movement of my pencil on the paper. Slowly I opened my eyes and found the clearing darker then before. I glanced up to see dark clouds roiling overhead, making the clearing that was once peaceful and safe, frightening and dangerous. I cautiously looked around the tree line, half expecting to see someone or something hiding in the shadows darkening as the storm gathered.

Tearing my eyes from the trees I glanced down at the art I had been drawing and nearly choked on my gasp. A shape with glowing red eyes, a deep scarlet like spilled blood, stood watching my house, no watching mother and me in the kitchen laughing. It was a simple sketch with shading and the color for his eyes but I could see the details of my house easily enough. There were three images sketched onto the paper, creating a kind of story, all with simple shading and those glowing red eyes. The second image was of the man in my house, standing over my mother sleeping on the living room couch! The last image was of the same man but standing over another woman in a completely different house, one I had never seen before!

A scream of terror was climbing up my throat as I gazed at the images I had sketched. I couldn't make out anything of the man's face or even what he was wearing but those frightening eyes shone like freshly spilled blood. The crack of a twig made me jump, the scream tearing free of my mouth until I clamped my hand over my mouth. I had no doubt in my mind that this man had killed my mother, why else had I drawn him in those scenes? A story my great-grandma had told me tried to make itself known in my mind but I was too terrified out in the forest alone right now to remember what it was.

Ripping out the page, I folded it up and placed it in the back of my pad and jumped to my feet. Looking wildly about I tried to remember from which direction I had entered the clearing. Another twig snapped, making me bolt into motion. I shot out of that clearing at a dead run. I couldn't tell if I was running deeper into the forest or back toward Sam's house. But I didn't care, I pumped my arms and dodged through the forest. I almost felt like I was being chased, I felt the ghost of cold breath on my neck and I could have sworn I felt fingers trace down my spine.

Tears of desperation coursed down my cheeks as I bolted, would I die here in this forest? My vision was so blurred I didn't see the person standing in the forest until I collided with them. The feeling of being chased abruptly stopped as I blinked the tears out of my eyes as I gazed up at the person I had literally run into. Yet another Quileute stood over me but he was older, maybe mid-twenties. He frowned down at me then looked up around the forest, his eyes alert and his body tense.

A hand reached out to help me to my feet and I was staring up into Seth's worried face. "Simone, you've been gone for hours! Emily sent us out to look for you, are you okay?" He asked.

Not caring if I sounded insane or just plain old crazy I blurted out, "there's something out there! It was chasing me, I swear!" Seth and the older man, there was no doubt in my mind that this was my older half-brother Sam, exchanged a look that I couldn't read. Both looked up and stared, hard into the forest surrounding us. Just over their shoulders I could see the warm glow of Sam's house.

"We should get back to the others," Was all Sam said as Seth quickly led me away, more like dragged, from the fold of the forest. As soon as we broke the tree line I bolted for the house, clutching my things to my chest. The door was wide open with Emily standing in the pool of warm light, her scarred face filled with worry. That worry lessened as I shot for the house but I didn't give her any time to say a word, I bolted for my room, slamming the door shut behind me.

I slid down the solid wood of the door until my butt hit the floor, gasping for breath as a sob rose in my throat. The shock of seeing my mother again, even in the picture I had drawn, was such a shock it was bringing my memories of that day to the forefront. Letting my things fall to the ground around me I pressed the heels of my hands to my head, trying to press the images back deep into my mind. I crawled over to my bed, pressing myself into the corner created by the bed and the wall.

The sound of the door opening didn't even register in my mind until I felt hands holding my own, I hadn't even realized I'd begun to hit my head with the heel of my palms, sobbing. I looked up through tear filled eyes at Emily's own tear streaked face, I could faintly see Sam's form standing in the doorway just behind her.

"I-I can't get it out of my head!" I sobbed, staring up into Emily's dark eyes. "The blood and her body, it was all so wrong and I can't get it out! The images just keep coming and coming, chasing me like some animal! Why won't they go away, Emily?" I whispered, my chin quivering as she pulled me into an embrace. Her hand brushed over my head and down my back as I cried against her chest. When I first found Mom I screamed, I didn't really mourn or wail or any of the things I'd once see a girl do at school when she found out her mom was dead. But now I wailed, I screamed and sobbed and cried like a little child. No, like a girl who had just lost her whole world in a matter of seconds after walking through a door.

I became aware of a soothing heat at my back, Sam had joined Emily in holding me on the floor. I let them hold me as I mourned, really mourned, the loss of my mother. No one said anything, they just held me. And in that moment I felt loved again, like it was my mother holding me instead of two people I had only just met and that made me cry even harder.

- 00 - 00 -

After I had tried myself into near exhaustion, Emily helped me into bed while Sam stayed by my side. He knelt by my bed, holding my hand. "Whoever did this will pay, Simone. I promise this to you here and now, as my honor of my pack's Alpha, I will make that monster pay. I owe it to you as my sister," his words confused me but also comforted me. He gave my hand one last squeeze before he stood and left, shutting my door behind him.

Turning over on my side, I curled up as tight as I could and gazed out between the curtains on the window as rain fell, first in random patterns then in a steady stream. Closing my eyes, I let the sound of the rain lull me to sleep. But just before I succumbed to sleep, I could have sworn I saw a pair of red, glowing eyes in the shadows of the forest.

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><p><strong>Okay! Chapter Two is finished! Happy dance time.<strong>

**So, a little more has been revealed on what might or might not have happened to Simone's mother. Yet more will be revealed in the next chapter and even an appearance and introduction with Paul. Maybe~ **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three, here we go!**

**Disclaimer: SM owns all the characters except mine, lucky lady!**

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><p><em>Once again I was in that same clearing but this time it was overcast, making strange shadows dance with every strike of lightning. I stood in the very center, looking about wildly. Why was I here? A low chuckle, sensual and dark made me jump. A brush of air along my bare back made me spin around and look down. I wasn't wearing the same clothes I had gone to bed with, but a backless scarlet gown. Again that low chuckle. I looked up and froze. Across the clearing, barely ten feet away from me stood the most beautiful man I had ever seen.<em>

_Angular features with an aristocratic nose and high, arching cheekbones, and full lips. A long, thick braid of mahogany hair brushed the back of his thighs. He was tall, lean but built like any athlete with muscles for speed rather then brute strength. But what really caught my attention were the startling glowing red eyes, shining like pools of fresh blood in his pale face. A cocky smile spread his full lips as his gaze roved over me just as I mine had over him._

_"'Ello luv, well aren't you a pretty picture?" He purred, his voice thick with an old British accent. The sound made me shiver, but both in pleasure and revulsion. Something about this man was wrong, inside me something screamed to run away. But another voice inside wanted me to snarl at him, stand my ground and fight. That last emotion shocked me so that I just stood there as the man drew closer._

_He moved in a blur of speed that seemed to be only the blink of an eye, standing far too close as he lifted a curling lock of my hair to his mouth. He inhaled deeply, letting out the breath in what could only have been a low growl. His eyes opened, briefly flashing pitch black. "You smell far too good to eat, unlike that other woman. You're mother, wasn't she? What a tasty treat she had been. No, I want you for something else. Your the last of your line, I've made sure of it and I can smell it in you, ripe and just waiting." His head whipped up and he glanced around, a fierce grin on his face. "No, won't be long until _she _comes."_

_His hand reached under my chin and tilted my face up, his skin icy cold against mine. Again, his eyes briefly flashed pitch black. His eyes searched mine, looking for something. He seemed satisfied with what he saw, because he smiled again, that first smile he had given me. In yet another impossibly fast move, he ducked down his head and pressed his lips to mine. The kiss was brief but scorched through me like a cold burn. He disappeared, that dark, low chuckle trailing behind him on the wind. "Soon, little one. Very, very soon."_

- 00 - 00 -

I woke with a gasp, jerking upright in bed to look around the room with frantic eyes as I searched for the man from my dream. No one was in my room and the same sounds that had woken me yesterday drifted through my closed door but they were quieter now. There was also a surprising shaft of sunlight pouring in through the window. With a soft groan I stretch and gaze out my window at the little, weak shaft of sunlight. Had it been sunny the last two days I'd been here? All I could remember was dark clouds and rain. I would rather have the rain, I didn't really like the sun.

Changing into some jeans and a simple dark purple v-neck t-shirt, I padded barefoot out of my room and down the hall. I paused at the kitchen, looking at the faces sitting at the table. Emily instantly stood up and moved to my side, worry on her face.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Fine, just a little hungry."

Her warm smile made me smile in return, even if it was a little one. I was feeling better after last night. Although, that dream unnerved me to no end. Had it only been a dream, or something else entirely? Emily led me over to the bench lining the table and forced the boys to move aside so I could fit. At Emily's small table were packed even more boys then last time if that was possible! Sam was there, giving me a warm smile just like Emily, along with Seth, Embry, Quil, and Jared. But in addition to those were at least five others. Names were given but the only one that really stuck with me was the one guy Jacob. He was by far the biggest out of them all!

I got shoved in between Jacob and Sam, the air in the kitchen practically stifling. But it was nice being surrounded by laughter and conversation. With Mom it had been just her and me for meals and our house had been way too big for just two people but it had been wonderful most of the time. Sitting squished around a small table eating and laughing, it was wonderful. The near constant ache in my chest lifted a little as I laughed along at jokes being told. It was nice belonging to something.

The bang of the front door made me jump and looked up. Yet another massively muscled Quileute stepped through the front door, shaking water off of him in a very dog-like fashion. I should have just turned back to my food but something whispered at me to get a closer look. Not a voice, more like an instinct. Well, I had always been one to follow my instincts.

Leaning back on the bench, I let myself be held into place by Sam's and Jacob's massive bodies so I was free to look at this newcomer. I was puzzled, he seemed just like any other member of the tribe but there was something different about him. Which made no sense, even when I repeated it in my head.

"Man, I wish those fucking leeches would just off of our lands and wait for Jake out there." His voice was a deep, rough rumble that made a shiver pass up and down my spine. He was normal enough looking for a member of the Quileute tribe; high cheek bones, dark copper colored skin, black hair cropped close to his head showing off his sharp bone structure. He was also massive in muscles like the others I had met but not nearly as big as Sam or Jacob, although he would easily tower over me. His eyes were a dark brown, almost black.

"Paul," Sam's tone was hard as he slowly stood up from the table. His quick movement dislodged me from my precarious angle. With a startled squeak, I fell backwards off the bench and landed on my back staring up at this newcomer called Paul. I stared up at him with wide eyes just as he stared down at me with the oddest expression I had ever seen on someone's face. The only way I could describe it as was a blind man seeing a sunset for the first time. As our eyes stayed locked something inside me eased, like the stress, sadness, and loneliness of my mother's violent death became more bearable.

But that look on his face was quickly replaced by rage and a fine vibration traveled along his body. "No! Aw, fuck no!" He roared and took off out of the house like a bat out of hell. That feeling inside of me was gone instantly, making my heart ache so badly it tore a gasp from me. Sam knelt beside me, worry etched on his face.

"Are you okay?" He asked, helping me get to my feet. Everyone was sharing looks that I couldn't read and didn't really care to. I just nodded at Sam and tried to hide my face behind my hair as I sat back at the table, my face burning in embarrassment. Why had that Paul guy reacted to me like that? Was me being here so bad? I was so confused!

Jacob stood, finishing off his three muffins in almost one bite. "Someone should go check on Paul and I gotta go meet Nessie." He trailed off as he looked from Sam and to the door. Sam nodded and gave Emily a quick kiss and ruffled my hair. I pursed my lips in annoyance at Sam's retreating back, why had he done that? One by one the others left, giving half made excuses, making me feel like this was all my fault. And in a way, I guess it was. Something about me had repelled that Paul guy, but did that mean I would have to find somewhere else to live? Would Sam kick me out because one of his fellow tribe members didn't like me?

The only sounds in the kitchen was Emily humming as she started to clean up after the boys' mess. Nervously nibbling on my lower lip I looked up at Emily, "is it my fault everyone is leaving?" I asked, partially voicing my fears.

Emily dropped the dirty plates in the kitchen sink and sat down on the bench across from me, taking hold of my hands in her warm grip. "No, things are just...complicated with Paul. He doesn't like outsiders and has some issues but you're not an outsider, you're family." She explained but I felt like she was leaving something out, of course she didn't have to tell me everything I wasn't really family, blood didn't mean everything to people and I wasn't exactly sure what blood meant to Sam. He seemed to have a bond with the boys of the tribe but that could be just that, a bond formed since they were all from the tribe.

Nodding, I extracted my hands from hers and stood slowly. An emotion I couldn't read passed over her face as I stood but didn't wait for her to say anything else and retreated to my room. My gaze was drawn to the window and the forest beyond but I didn't want to go out into the forest alone again...maybe I could ask someone to go with me? Sighing, I changed into jeans and a scooped neck pink with black stripes cashmere sweater. The soft feeling of the fabric against my skin drew another sigh from me. I didn't want to be cooped up in the house all day but I didn't want to go anywhere alone.

My eye was drawn to the corner of my sketch pad sticking out from under my bed. I wouldn't be able to draw in that book anymore so that meant I would need a new one. I had funds, quite a lot actually, I just didn't like spending large amounts of money at once. Pulling on my black ankle boots, I left my room with my small purse slung over my shoulder. The kitchen was spotless and Emily was in the living room dusting, she reminded me of my grandmother, the woman I got my white skin from. She was a neat-freak, always had to clean things or else she was just unhappy.

Emily paused in her dusting and I quickly spoke, "is there anywhere nearby that I can shop? Like a mall or even a simple outdoor mall would be fine." I blurted out before she continued in her cleaning.

She pursed her lips, making the scar going over her lips pucker slightly. "Well, Port Angeles is a good place to shop. Is there something you want in particular?" She asked.

"A new sketch pad, the old one is full." I lied smoothly, I wouldn't let her see my art, she would think it was weird. But thinking of the art again made me think I should look into some of those old legends I wrote down while visiting with great-grandma. It was no doubt useless but it was at least something to explain the weird things I had drawn and maybe even that dream.

"Okay, I think we should get out together! Maybe even call Kim, she's Jared's girlfriend. We could make it a girls' day out and buy the food for a bonfire this weekend." Emily chatted along animatedly as she breezed around her living room, I only half listened to her. Okay, maybe being with some other girls could be fun. It would certainly get my mind off of the weird things going on.

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><p><strong>Don't attack me! Sorry it's so short but been busy. Also, I'm gonna try something different with the next chapter.<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay! Here is the fourth chapter and I'll be doing something a little different. I can't get into a guy's head and write what I believe Paul would be thinking but I will be trying to get as close as I can using third person writing style. Hope you guys like it. I think I'll go between Simone's point of view and third person, maybe even get into the head of some other characters. Anyhoo~ on with the fun ^^**

**Disclaimer: SM owns everything but my own stuff, lucky lady.**

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><p>The day had been looking up for Paul, work had been easy and he'd even gotten signed up for more hours so that meant more money. The surprise visit from the leeches hadn't even really brought him down. There just seemed to be something in the air that lifted his spirits, maybe it was the good lay he had last night. She'd been a little violent bitch, into biting and scratching but it had been pretty damn good if he did say so himself. He'd even managed to get in a quick border run before heading over to Sam and Emily's for some much needed grub. Not bothering to knock he just pushed the front door open and sauntered in.<p>

"Man, I wish those fucking leeches would just stay off of our lands and wait for Jake out there." He grumbled as he stepped into the kitchen, he nodded to Emily and the rest of the pack mashed in around Em's tiny ass table.

"Paul," Sam's stern tone made Paul pause. His tone could be the reason for two things: one, Sam was cool with the leeches and didn't like them being talked about negatively or two, there was a stranger in his house. Paul vaguely remembered something being mentioned about Sam's half-sister coming to stay with him but he didn't see anyone else at the table. A sudden squeak made Paul's eyes shoot to the pale face sprawled out on Em's kitchen floor staring up at him with wide eyes. Staring into those big hazel eyes, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning, speared to the spot as he stared at her.

He felt weightless, all the ties holding him to the earth snipping away with each and every beat of his heart, replaced by a cable of steel connected solely to the wide-eyed angel staring up at him. He didn't even know her name but she was the woman for him. A thick curtain of chestnut curls, impossibly big hazel eyes, small curvy little body. She was perfect. But even as that thought filled his mind, realization at what had happened to him swept over those thoughts and he spoke without even thinking. "No! Aw, fuck no!" Jerking his eyes away from the angel blinking up at him dazed from the floor, Paul shot out of that house like a bat out of hell, even though it nearly gave him physical pain to do so.

His body trembled more and more with every step he took in the opposite direction of Sam's house and his imprint. Fuck! He hadn't wanted an imprint! He liked his free style of life and didn't need a woman to tie him down, least of all a single woman. Paul had been totally and utterly fucking happy with his never ending stream of women to fuck with as he wished! Now some pale faced bitch was going to screw that all up. In the heat of his anger the thought spilled into his mind but he stumbled from the sudden painful pang it caused in his heart. Yet another thing he didn't need, a conscience!

Paul only stopped walking when the pull became to strong, maybe a couple miles deep into the forest. Scrubbing his hands over his face he stayed where he stood even as he heard Sam coming up behind him along with Jared and Quil. He didn't move, resisting the urge to run back and pull the wide eyed angel into his arms. He hadn't really gotten a good look at her, just those big eyes staring up at him.

With a violent shake of his head Paul turned to face Sam and spotted Jared standing a few feet back. At least he was smart enough not to get too close, Paul could feel the wolf trying to claw it's way out to get back to their imprint. It wanted to sniff her, learn her scent, and lavish her with its own kind of affection. Paul had his own idea of _affection_ running through his mind as those big hazel gazing up at him from an entirely different angle. With a low growl he scrubbed a hand over his face and glared at Sam.

"Who is she? I thought your sister was coming to stay, not some pale-face." He muttered, angry at himself for using those words to describe her. But he couldn't reveal how much seeing her had affected him.

"She is my sister, I'm not sure about her heritage, haven't exactly had the chance to ask her and frankly I'm a little afraid to at the moment. She might have a meltdown and cry." Sam muttered, maybe sharing a little too much but Paul wanted to know more now. He wracked his brain to remember what the alpha had told him about his younger half-sister and why she was staying with Sam and Emily.

"What's wrong with her?" Paul couldn't stop himself from asking, he had to know now.

Sam only shook his head, "there wasn't much information in the letter from the cop but all I know is that her mother was killed in a violent attack and Simone was the one that found her. That alone should be bad enough but I get the feeling that there's something else." Sam paused long enough to glance around the forest, his stance tense. Paul was certainly interested now. "Seth and I found her running out of the forest, she was in hysterics talking about something in the forest. I couldn't check it out properly till I went out for a run later and I scented leech, and not any from around here."

"You think a leech killed her mother and followed her here to finish the job?" Paul demanded, rage building in him at the thought of his imprint in danger.

"I'm only guessing but I'm not leaving out any options." Sam stared Paul in the eye, his face hard. "I don't need Simone hurting any more then she already has but I sense things might get worse. Are you going to be an ass and make her life more miserable or are you going to honor the bond between you two?"

With a low growl that vibrated through his chest Paul ran a hand over his face, gazing up at the sky as if searching for his answer there in the heavens. Sam kept quiet, staring down his pack brother. Poor Simone had gone through enough and he would order Paul to stay away until he could be less of an ass if he had to. Finally after several minuets Paul looked back at Sam and nodded once. "I'll honor the bond between us, whatever she needs I'll be it." He said and there was a feeling of finality in the air, causing a shiver to roll through his body.

With a simple nod Sam gave Paul a quick pat on the shoulder and headed back toward his house, he was hungry and wanted his mate's cooking in his belly. Jared stood beside the house fiddling with the tiny buttons on his phone as he leaned against the porch railing. He didn't even bother to look up as Sam drew nearer, a bright grin directed at his phone. "The girls went out on a shopping trip, won't be back until later. Em told me that there's food in the oven for you and not to worry about them." At Sam's low growl the other wolf looked up with a teasing grin, "of course, you're not going to listen and no doubt do something stupid. Am I right?" He asked, snapping his phone shut. Sam knew the only reason Jared wasn't panicking himself was his mate Kim texted him or sent him a up-date on what she was doing every few seconds.

A very unhappy frown marred Sam's face as Paul wearily stepped out of the tree-line, his eyes shifting from his pack mates and the house. The strength in the tug demanding he be beside his imprint changed, intensified and turned him in an opposite direction then the house. Where had his little imprint gone?

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The cheery music, something new and popular from the radio, filled the air at the department store. Several bags from different stores sat in a large pile around a tired group of young women ranging in ages but they all wore smiles that shone brightly on their dark faces. Well, most of them were smiling, Leah was rather grumpy and wanted to get home. Mostly the bags were full of clothes and some household items, like a lamp or two. They all stood at the end of an art supplies aisle waiting for their paler friend, and indeed they were now friends...well, Emily and Kim at least. Simone bit her lip as she eagerly tossed several sketch pads of varied size as well as several colored pencil sets, oil pastels, and even some paints into a shopping kart.

"Can we go home yet?" Leah snarled, earning her a stern look from Emily but she only scowled back. "How much art crap do you need?"

Simone looked Leah boldly in the eye, dropping a couple paint brushes in with the rest of the 'art crap'. "Lots, it's the only thing I can do here until my stuff gets here." She stated but she was already walking down the aisle, her happy mood only slightly damped by Leah's complaining. She had been against the trip from the very beginning but Emily had forced her into it. But, Simone wouldn't let that inhabit her need to surround herself with things that reminded her of her mother, even if they were only material things.

"I'm done anyway." Simone muttered as she bent to pick up her own shopping bags. Kim frowned at Leah and hurried to keep pace with the paler girl.

"What will you draw with all that?" She asked, eyes wide as she looked at everything in the kart.

Simone shrugged, lips pursed. "Sometimes dreams, maybe memories, or daydreams. Sometimes I don't even know what I'm drawing, my fingers just start moving."

"Oh, have you drawn anything since coming to the rez? Can I see them?"

"Sorry, I haven't drawn anything yet." The lie slid smoothly off of her lips, Simone did not want to show anyone what she drew while in the clearing, it was too terrifying and horrible.

"Okay then, is there anything else you can do?" Kim asked, Simone knew her question was innocently asked but she felt reluctant to answer any questions about herself. Biting her lower lip, Simone nodded slowly. "Well?" Kim pressed.

Simone smiled and pushed her kart into the line, the other girls standing off to the side by the exit but Kim stayed right with her. Movements precise and quick, she placed her items on the conveyor belt. "I can dance and play the piano." She admitted quickly.

"Really? That's so cool, who taught you?" Kim asked.

"My mom," Simone whispered, holding back a sudden prick of tears as she took out her bank card and quickly paid for her items. She suddenly had the urge to run or at least be left alone. This was the most she had spent with a group of people since her mother's death and it was taxing on her.

Kim was blessedly silent as Simone took the bags from the nice cashier and quickly walked to join the others. They all would be driving back to the reservation in Sam's old truck and Kim little bug, Simone was just hoping for some quiet on the ride back.

"I'm so sorry, Simone." Kim whispered, Simone halted mid step and turned to look at the other woman. A sheen of tears glistened in her dark eyes, Simone just nodded, a small smile of thanks flitting across her lips. She climbed in Sam's truck and leaned her head against the passenger window, trying to clear her mind for the ride back to the reservation.

Thankfully Leah climbed into Kim's car and they were off. Unable to help herself, Simone reached into her newest bag and withdrew a small sketch book and a pencil. Letting her mind wander she let her pencil flowed over the pages, the scratch of the lead on paper a soothing sound to her. Being out with the girls had been fun and she hadn't done something like that in a long time but it wasn't just the same without her mother. Simone knew nothing would ever be the same without her mother but it was really hitting home with the little things. She wasn't there to give advice about her situation earlier in Sam's kitchen, well if her mother was still alive then there wouldn't even have been a situation in someone else's kitchen.

With a sigh she let her gaze go out of focus, her hand still guiding the pencil across the paper. She was suddenly jerked out of her empty haze when Emily spoke in the growing silence. "Simone, what are you drawing?" There was a concern in her tone that made Simone's eyes snap down to the sketch pad clutched in her hand. Eyes, vivid despite being drawn simply with a pencil, practically glowed at her from the paper but under the eyes was a surprisingly detailed sketch of a jaguar mid-attack. The arch of the great feline's body was graceful and deadly all at the same time, and Simone could just feel her feral gaze staring at her.

The words tumbled out of her mouth before Simone even realized she was repeating what her great-grandma had once told her as a little girl. "That's Yaguara, the great huntress. She's a guardian of my people, the Ohanko on my mother's side. She hunts in the forests that once surrounded the mountains in the south where they lived. She also protected our dreams and taught our warriors how to fight the monsters that hunted in the night." Simone slowly looked up from her sketch book and haze Emily a sheepish smile. "Well, that's what my grandma used to tell me but that's all just legends and stuff."

A bright light shone in Emily's eyes as she navigated the twisty road that led through the reservation to her and Sam's house. "Interesting, so you aren't just part Native American from Sam's father, your mother was too?" Simone could tell Emily regretted mentioning her mother right away but she just nodded and lightly ran a hesitant finger over the arching back of the leaping feral feline. "Where did your people reside in those days?" Emily pressed on.

"In mountain ranges along the very border of Texas. I've done some research with my great-grandma, and we believe the very first Ohanko are Aztec in origin, thus the jaguar as their guardian. But, they could have just been in the very edge of America because jaguars once roamed up and down the lower parts of America before they were all hunted and killed." Simone spoke in a matter of fact way, recounting all of the work she had done with her great-grandma. "No doubt your own tribe has their own guardians and spirit guides. I've always found the legends and stories passed down verbally interesting. I even once sat down with my great-grandma and wrote everything she could remember on my laptop. I could show you sometime."

"That would be wonderful!" Emily flashed Simone a bright smile as they pulled to a stop in front of the house, with Leah and Kim right behind them.

Simone had to admit, she was starting to like living on the reservation with her half-brother.

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><p><strong>Well, there's the fourth chapter!<strong>

**All of that stuff about Simone's Native American heritage is only half made up. The name of the people means mountain people, and there really were jaguars in the lower parts of America. Anyhoo~ Review what you think ^.^**


	5. Chapter 5

**Wow! So many people have added my story to their favorites! I feel so...special ^.^**

**Disclaimer: SM owns all characters...except for mine!**

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><p>The day following our shopping trip I woke to the loud sounds of a truck. With a furrowed brow, I rolled out of bed and shuffled out into the living room to see what was going on. Emily stood in the living room sipping coffee, I'd never seen her not in the kitchen or busy doing something, well as long as I had lived with her and Sam. My brain slowly realized that it was still dark outside and the light in the living room was cast by the lamps on either side of the couch. "How early is it?" I asked, Emily turned and gave me a warm smile.<p>

"Ten past six," she answered.

"Oh my God, who the hell is outside?"

"I'm not sure, Sam is out there talking to them."

As soon as those words were out of her mouth Sam came in through the door only clad in baggy cut-offs. He gave me a brisk nod and motioned with his head toward the truck outside. "The driver said he was sent by Davis Branson." Before Sam was even done talking I stumbled out the door and into the dark, cold embrace of early morning. A large moving truck sat idling in the little drive that led away from Sam's house. My stuff was finally here!

A large, burly man with a clipboard trudged up to meet me. "You Simone Miakoda?" He boomed. I quickly nodded and he held out the clipboard. "Sign here and we can start getting your stuff into the house, unless you have your own muscle to move all of this?" I bit my lip as I signed the paper. Did I want yet more strangers touching my precious things?

"We've got this, just leave the boxes on the porch."

I nearly jumped out of my skin when Sam's voice came from behind me. I don't know what it is about these Quileute guys but they moved as silently as shadows. The driver gave a little shrug and began shouting out orders to the two men waiting in the truck. Emily and I stood aside and watched as Sam darted into the house, maybe to call some of the other guys to help, but my gaze was riveted as I watched precious possessions being brought out of the truck one by one. Some were placed on the porch but others were too big, like my dresser.

The gleam of polished wood caught my attention and I darted forward, my heart pounding as I clambered up the little ladder on the side of the truck. In the back of the moving truck sat my mother's piano. A simple piece of paper with only a couple words was taped to the cover of the keys. _She would want you to have it._ That was all, no name but I knew it was Davis. The truck rocked as someone climbed in, I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Emily standing there a gentle look on her face. The scars should have ruined the look but they were just a part of her in my eyes, I had barely been with Sam and Emily but already I saw them in a different light.

Her hand reached up to brush against my cheek and I realized she was wiping away tears, I hadn't even felt the tears. I quickly wiped my face and gave her a little smile turning back to the piano I reached out with shaking hands to touch the polished wood. It was cold from the long drive but it still felt the same, if I closed my eyes I could pretend I stood in the living room back home instead of in a moving truck. The rocking of the truck brought me out of my fantasy. I turned and watched as the men, including Sam, started working to take out the boxes and a big old trunk that had been my great-grandmother's.

I was glad it wasn't raining as we set all of the boxes either in the living room or on the front porch, leaving room for the couple of bigger stuff. Once the truck was empty Sam made sure the truck got off the reservation safely, Emily and I took some boxes full of clothes to my room, leaving them on the bed. One rather precariously set box tumbled over and a picture frame slid across the floor, thankfully it wasn't broken but I froze as I looked down at the picture. It was my mom, smiling bright in a costume for one of her shows. Swan Lake, she had gotten the lead when I was a little girl. She looked so beautiful. Tears filled my eyes as I kneeled down and carefully picked the picture up, my fingers shaking so badly I nearly dropped the thing again.

"Oh, you look just like her." Emily breathed, kneeling down with me. She gently took the picture from my hands and walked over to place it on the table beside my bed. She returned to my side and pulled me into a hug, not saying anything else.

"Hey! Get my ass out of bed to move crap and there's no one here!"

The loud shout pulled me out of my moment of sorrow for my mother, I straightened and gave Emily a weak smile before I rubbed my face. I left my room at a brisk pace, coming to an abrupt halt in the open front door. Paul, Jacob, and Colin stood at the foot of the porch looking at all of the boxes. Paul was the one that had hollered, earning him a not so happy look from Emily as she stepped out onto what little space there was left on the porch.

"We're here, no need to shout so early in the morning."

"I know it's early, let's get this over with so I can get my ass back into bed." He growled, crossing his arms over his chest. I couldn't help myself as I let my eyes trail over the way his muscles bulged when he did that, surrounded by hot guys is kind of hard to miss, even if I missed my mother every minuet of the day. I could just see her leering about at the boys like the pervy older woman she was deep down. Mom loved herself some beefy men, no matter the age, as long as they were legal. Or, yummy beef cakes, she she liked to call them when no one could hear her.

I blushed when Paul caught me staring an raised one eyebrow, I ducked my head and quickly picked up another box. Sam came back just as I darted into the house, directing orders at the three '_volunteers__' _to get everything into the house. The old trunk was left at the foot of my bed for me to go through later while Sam let me oversee the moving of my mother's piano. Emily and I worked together to find a perfect place to put it, me fussing the whole while about not letting it get scratched. The piano ended up placed in a corner near a little window, offering some light. Emily and I stood back gazing at the instrument while the guys brought the last of the boxes into the living room.

"I've always wanted to have a piano in here, my own aunt used to have one in her house, Sue Clearwater, Leah and Seth's mom. But she got rid of it a long time ago." Emily said, hesitantly she reached out a hand, glancing back at me for permission. I nodded and she lightly ran her fingers over the black and ivory keys, while I held the cover up for her.

"Whoa! Look at these!" Colin's voice drew my gaze to where he was hunched over a box, he lifted out a piece of lacy, blood red underwear. My underwear! I let out a squeak and dove across the room, snatching up the underwear in his hand and tried to grab the box but I tripped and the damn thing tipped over, my whole underwear and sleepwear strewn out across the floor right at the fee of Paul!

I blushed so hard I was sure my blood would never leave my face as I rushed to scoop it all up and shove the damn things back in the box, of course Colin had picked the one box that had never even seen the light of day. Mom had made it a joke to buy me sexy underwear and stuff when I first turned eighteen for any reason at all, and that meant whenever we went to the mall and something struck her fancy. Every single piece of clothing in the box was either silk or lace or had some key areas missing. Then there were the teddies and the camisole tops and the risque nighties.

I stood up with the box clutched tightly in my hands, I looked up and to my horror stared at the tiny piece of black lacy panties, in Paul's hands. The only pair of crotchless panties I owned, and he just had to see them and pick them up. My eyes darted up to lock with his and the blood all rushed to my face once again when I saw the heat burning in those dark eyes. It made my lady bits tingle which made me blush harder. I yanked the panties out of his grasp and tossed them in the box, shooting into my room like a bullet to toss the box into the every back of my closet.

Holding my hot cheeks I stared at the walls of my closet, utterly horrified. Why oh why had that happened? I gazed up at the ceiling, as if hoping to see the answer there as to why the spirits would torment me with that! Of course, there was no answer, but I didn't exactly expect one. Squaring my shoulders I marched back into the living room. "Okay, no more opening the boxes marked closet." I grumbled, blushing when I pointedly glared at Colin. The poor boy's eyes were wide and he had to be blushing just as hard as I was but his skin was just too dark to show it.

Jacob suddenly burst out laughing, Emily covering her mouth as her shoulders shook with laughter too. "Oh God! That was priceless! I've never seen anyone blush that dark except for Bella!" He roared, holding his side. Sam joined in the laughter but he only chuckled. I huffed and sat down on the floor to open another box, as I sat there I could feel Paul's gaze like fire burning through me but I ignored him, busying myself with showing Emily the things Davis had sent over. My mother's big cosmetics box, boxes upon boxes of my clothes, and other little trinkets. Old artifacts from my mother's people. Emily was the most interested in those.

Everything in the box was a gift from my great-grandmother, one of the last few of her tribe that still loved to tell the old stories. Most of the pieces were hand carved wooden statues passed down through the generations. I handed Emily each piece, letting her hold them and turn them over in her hands to examine them closely.

"These are all so very old, they must be several hundred years old!" Eventually Sam joined us on the floor while Jacob and Colin slipped out, giving excuses to be other places, oddly enough Paul stayed but only for the promise of breakfast. But I could tell he wasn't going to be getting any food soon.

"I'll make breakfast, you can keep looking at the artifacts." I told Emily, earning a bright smile from her.

Paul sat at the kitchen table, he could clearly see the living room but he watched me the whole time as I went from the fridge to the stove top, cooking up a big bunch of eggs and bacon with toast on the side. I somewhat sat reluctantly at the table with Paul, giving his plate and watched Emily and Sam rummage around in the box. They handled everything so carefully I had no worry of them breaking any of the important pieces.

"If you have so much of our blood running through your veins, why are you so pale?" The blunt question made me blink up at Paul, he just stared right back, taking a rather loud crunch of bacon. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Sam giving him a dark look but I cocked my head to one side as I gazed at Paul, tamping down the sudden urge to move closer to him. It was cold in the early morning and I could just feel the heat rolling off him in waves and I wanted it.

"My grandmother is to blame, really. She's full blooded European and that sort of fought for dominance in my mom, she got the dark eyes and dark hair but the pale skin. The same thing just happened to me, despite the blood from," I glanced over at Sam and gave him a wane smile, "our dad."

Paul sort of jammed his head onto his fist and rested his elbow on the table, "what's your tribe?" He asked and I knew he didn't mean his own, I pursed my lips as I glanced over at Sam and saw him watching us, an odd look on his face. With a mental shrug I turned to face Paul fully, it wasn't so bad talking to him. I sort of felt better sitting there and talking to Paul, even though his dark gaze was a little intense for my taste.

"They're called the Ohanko, a mountain dwelling tribe along the very lower border of Texas." It was the same thing I'd told Emily but I doubted Paul had heard the story. "We have a guardian spirit called Yaguara, or Sister Hunter as my people call her. She takes on the form of a jaguar, teaching our warriors to protect the tribe from the monsters that lived in the land."

"What monsters?" Sam suddenly asked, I glanced over at him and saw he and Emily share a look.

I rolled my eyes and stared down at the eggs on my plate, "mostly it was one type of monster that came over when the settlers did. There was never really a name for them, but the elders called them something similar to the words blood drinker in the old language." My terrifying moment in the forest flashed in my mind, I suddenly remembered the one legend great-grandma had told me! "There is one account of a blood drinker in our legends, repeated over and over with each generation as a sort of warning. Hold on, let me get my laptop! I wrote it all down on there!" I jumped up and dashed for my room, but before I caught the dark look shared between Sam, Paul, and Emily.

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><p><strong>Okay, so I'm going to stop there cause it's late and I wanted to post this before I forget everything my muse decided to bitch slap me with. The next chapter will have the legend and maybe something else too~~<strong>


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